Method of nursery tree hydroponics and fertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics

ABSTRACT

A raising seedling pot provided with passing parts on the side face and the bottom and capable of undergoing fracture is filled with a culture medium comprising a mixture of smoked charcoal or rice hulls with a water holding material, the raising seedling pot is immersed in a culture solution containing 1,000 to 1,800 ppm of a nitrogen component, 600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acid component, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of a potassium component, 300 to 500 ppm of a magnesia component, and 900 to 1,400 ppm of a lime component, and nursery trees are raised using this culture solution. 
     Thus, nursery tree growth is favorably affected and remarkably accelerated even after the transplantation of the nursery tree into soil. Moreover, it is possible to thus establish advantageous effects such that the tree raised by this method has false annual rings and is expected to be useful as a wooden board material with excellent density and color, and the method is suitable particularly for the cultivation of nursery trees for forestation.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method of nursery tree hydroponicsand a fertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics, and more particularly toa method of nursery tree hydroponics and a fertilizer for nursery treehydroponics for use in forestation.

BACKGROUND ART

Hydroponics is a technique for growing vegetables and the like using aculture solution rather than using soil. It is widely used in theproduction of salad greens, trefoil, and other green vegetables, as wellas of melons, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables.

As disclosed in Japanese TOKKYO-KOKAI-KOHO (18-month Publication ofUnexamined Patent Application) Heisei 3(1992)-151814, forestationtechniques which employ seedlings grown using liquid fertilizers havealso been developed.

Culture media, culture solutions, and other conditions are being studiedwith regard to various types of plants targeted for hydroponic culture.

However, it cannot be said that there has been adequate researchconducted with regard to conditions especially adapted for hydroponiccultivation of nursery trees for use in forestation with cryptomeria(sugi), cypress (hinoki), and the like.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amethod of nursery tree hydroponics and a fertilizer for nursery treehydroponics which are especially adapted for growing seedlings for usein forestation with cryptomeria, cypress, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The means employed in the present invention for achieving this objectare as follows.

Firstly, a method of nursery tree hydroponics comprising the steps of:filling a raising seedling pot which is provided with passing parts onthe side face and the bottom and capable of undergoing fracture with aculture medium comprising a mixture of smoked charcoal or rice hullswith a water holding material; immersing the raising seedling pot in aculture solution containing 1,000 to 1,800 ppm of a nitrogen component,600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acid component, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of apotassium component, 300 to 500 ppm of a magnesia component, and 900 to1,400 ppm of a lime component; and raising the nursery tree using thisculture solution.

Secondly, a method of nursery tree hydroponics comprising the steps of:filling a raising seedling pot which is provided with passing parts onthe side face and the bottom and capable of undergoing fracture with aculture medium comprising a mixture of smoked charcoal or rice hullswith a water holding material; immersing the raising seedling pot in aculture solution containing 1,000 to 1,800 ppm of a nitrogen component,600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acid component, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of apotassium component, 300 to 500 ppm of a magnesia component, 9 to 11 ppmof a manganese component, 9 to 11 ppm of a boron component, 28 to 32 ppmof a iron component, 4 to 6 ppm of a copper component, 4 to 6 ppm of azinc component, 4 to 6 ppm of a molybdenum component, and 900 to 1,400ppm of a lime component; And raising the nursery tree using this culturesolution.

Thirdly, a fertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics, containing 1,000 to1,800 ppm of a nitrogen component, 600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acidcomponent, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of a potassium component, 300 to 500 ppmof a magnesia component, and 900 to 1,400 ppm of a lime component.

Fourthly, a fertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics, containing 1,000 to1,800 ppm of a nitrogen component, 600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acidcomponent, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of a potassium component, 300 to 500 ppmof a magnesia component, 9 to 11 ppm of a manganese component, 9 to 11ppm of a boron component, 28 to 32 ppm of a iron component, 4 to 6 ppmof a copper component, 4 to 6 ppm of a zinc component, 4 to 6 ppm of amolybdenum component, and 900 to 1,400 ppm of a lime component.

Fifthly, a method of nursery tree hydroponics comprising the steps offilling a raising seedling pot which is provided with passing parts onthe side face and the bottom and capable of undergoing fracture with aculture medium comprising a mixture of smoked charcoal or rice hullswith a water holding material; immersing the raising seedling pot in aculture solution containing 1,100 to 1,300 ppm of a nitrogen componentand favorably 700 to 900 ppm of a phosphoric acid component, 1,700 to1,900 ppm of a potassium component, 300 to 500 ppm of a magnesiacomponent, 9 to 11 ppm of a manganese component, 9 to 11 ppm of a boroncomponent, 28 to 32 ppm of a iron component, 4 to 6 ppm of a coppercomponent, 4 to 6 ppm of a zinc component, 4 to 6 ppm of a molybdenumcomponent, and 900 to 1,100 ppm of a lime component; and raising thenursery tree using this culture solution.

Sixthly, a fertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics containing 1,100 to1,300 ppm of a nitrogen component and favorably 700 to 900 ppm of aphosphoric acid component, 1,700 to 1,900 ppm of a potassium component,300 to 500 ppm of a magnesia component, 9 to 11 ppm of a manganesecomponent, 9 to 11 ppm of a boron component, 28 to 32 ppm of an ironcomponent, 4 to 6 ppm of a copper component, 4 to 6 ppm of a zinccomponent, 4 to 6 ppm of a molybdenum component, and 900 to 1,100 ppm ofa lime component.

Any nursery tree suitable for use in forestation may be raised using thehydroponics which pertain to the present invention. Examples arecryptomeria, cypress, fir, silver fir, Quercus acutissima, Japanese oak,hiba arborvitae, paulownia, lauan, and hemlock spruce.

Using the method of nursery tree hydroponics and fertilizer for nurserytree hydroponics which pertain to the present invention, the growth ofthe nursery tree is favorably affected and remarkably accelerated evenafter the transplantation of the nursery tree into soil. Moreover, it ispossible to thus establish advantageous effects such that the treeraised by this method has false annual rings (ginenrin) and is expectedto be useful as a wooden board material with excellent density andcolor. Thus, the method is suitable particularly for the cultivation ofnursery trees for forestation.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below; however,the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

In this embodiment, cryptomeria nursery trees were raised under ordinaryhydroponic conditions using a raising seedling pot of box form filledwith a culture medium of smoked charcoal or rice hulls with a waterholding material, by setting the raising seedling pot in a hydroponicculture water container located inside a greenhouse.

The hydroponic culture water container of this embodiment comprised ashallow rectangular excavation covered with waterproof sheeting and anassembly of board materials for forming a water container. The shortboard material on one side was provided with a culture solution inlet,and a culture solution outlet was provided at the other side.

A culture solution feed pump was placed at the culture solution inletside, and the culture solution supplied from the culture solution inletside by the pump was removed from the outlet side to keep the culturesolution flowing constantly and to ensure that there was sufficientoxygen dissolution in the culture solution.

In this embodiment, a raising seedling pot provided with passing partsof slit form on the side face and the bottom and capable of undergoingfracture was used.

The raising seedling pot was filled with an insoluble culture mediumconsisting of smoked charcoal or the like with a water holding material,and the cryptomeria nursery tree seeds were then planted.

A plurality of raising seedling pots containing planted seeds wereplaced at intervals of about 5 cm in the hydroponic culture watercontainer, which was supplied with culture solution, and immersed in theculture solution such that it came to a level approximately one-thirdthe height of the raising seedling pots.

The culture solution employed in this embodiment was prepared using afertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics containing the followingcomponents.

In this embodiment, the fertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics wasprepared such that the nitrogen component in the aqueous solution wasapproximately 1,200 ppm, the phosphoric acid component (P₂ O₅) wasapproximately 800 ppm, the potassium component (K₂ O) was approximately1,800 ppm, the magnesia component (MgO) was approximately 400 ppm, themanganese component (MnO) was approximately 10 ppm, the boron component(B₂ O₃) was approximately 10 ppm, the iron component (Fe) wasapproximately 30 ppm, the copper component (Cu) was approximately 5 ppm,the zinc component (Zn) was approximately 5 ppm, the molybdenumcomponent (Mo) was approximately 5 ppm, and the lime component (CaO) wasapproximately 1,000 ppm.

Dissolved 6.0% ammoniacal component and 24.0% nitrate component granularsolid fertilizers supplied the nitrogen.

Nursery trees raised for approximately three months with the culturesolution described above exhibited excellent root growth compared totrees raised for an equivalent period in soil, and their root mass wassix or more times heavier.

Cryptomeria nursery trees hydroponically cultured using theaforementioned culture solution were transplanted to an actual sitescheduled for forestation.

Approximately three years after the nursery trees had been transplanted,they exhibited excellent growth superior to that of nursery trees grownby ordinary soil culture.

Nursery trees raised in accordance with the present invention were cutthree years after transplant; compared to trees grown by ordinary soilculture, they had numerous densely-grained false annual rings of almostperfectly circular shape, and had a cypress color. The results of actualstrength tests demonstrated excellent compressive strength exceedingthat required by construction standards law, and they appeared promisingas a wooden board material with excellent density and color.

According to Takeshi Uwamura, "Mokuzai no Jissai Chishiki, 3d ed." (ToyoKeizai Shinpo Co., Ltd., published September 1988), p. 41, "when growingconditions vary significantly within a given year, in some cases,annular ring-like tissue is produced in addition to the true annularring, and this is termed a false annular ring. In many cases, it is notperfectly round"; thus, false annular rings (ginenrin) are not commonlyseen in ordinary wood materials, and in virtually no case is the shapeof the false annular rings that do occur perfectly round, as they are inwood materials produced in accordance with the present invention.

I claim:
 1. A method of nursery tree hydroponics comprising the stepsof:filling a raising seedling pot, which is provided with passing partsof slit form on a side face and the bottom and capable of undergoingfracture, with a culture medium comprising a mixture of smoked charcoalor rice hulls with a water holding material; immersing the raisingseedling pot in a culture solution containing 1,000 to 1,800 ppm of anitrogen component, 600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acid component,1,500 to 3,500 ppm of a potassium component, 300 to 500 ppm of amagnesia component, and 900 to 1,400 ppm of a lime component; andraising a nursery tree using this culture solution.
 2. The methoddefined in claim 1wherein said method promotes false annular rings intrees.
 3. The method defined in claim 1,wherein said nursery tree is amember selected from the group consisting of cryptomeria, cypress, fir,silver fir, Quercus acutissima, Japanese oak, hiba arborvitae,paulownia, luaun, and hemlock spruce.
 4. The method defined in claim 1further comprisingafter the immersing step, flowing the culture solutionthrough an inlet of a container that contains the raising seedling pots,and removing culture solution from an outlet of said container.
 5. Amethod of nursery tree hydroponics comprising the steps of:filling araising seedling pot, which is provided with passing parts of slit formon a side face and the bottom and capable of undergoing fractures with aculture medium comprising a mixture of smoked charcoal or rice hullswith a water holding material; immersing the raising seedling pot in aculture solution containing 1,000 to 1,800 ppm of a nitrogen component,600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acid component, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of apotassium component, 300 to 500 ppm of a magnesia component, 9 to 11 ppmof a boron component, 28 to 32 ppm of an iron component, 4 to 6 ppm of acopper component, 4 to 6 ppm of a molybdenum component, and 900 to 1,400ppm of a lime component; and raising a nursery tree using this culturesolution.
 6. A fertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics, containing 1,000to 1,800 ppm of a nitrogen component, 600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoricacid component, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of a potassium component, 300 to 500ppm of a magnesia component, and 900 to 1,400 ppm of a lime component.7. A fertilizer for nursery tree hydroponics, containing 1,000 to 1,800ppm of a nitrogen component, 600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acidcomponent, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of a potassium component, 300 to 500 ppmof a magnesia component, 9 to 11 ppm of a manganese component, 9 to 11ppm of a boron component, 28 to 32 ppm of a iron component, 4 to 6 ppmof a copper component, 4 to 6 ppm of a zinc component, 4 to 6 ppm of amolybdenum component, and 900 to 1,400 ppm of a lime component.